Improvement in shears for clipping horses



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL H. FOLSOM, OF EAST CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHEARS FOR CLIPPlNG HORSES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,576, dated May 19, 1863.

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL H. FoLsoM, of East Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Shears for Clipping or Shearing Horses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a plan of my shears. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are details to be referred to hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to produce a pair of shears with which the hair of the horse can be clipped very close to the skin, leaving the coat of hair of uniform length, and preserving its original even and smooth appearance. t

My invention consists of a pair of shears, in combination with a comb and supporting back and guide, which is constructed and operated substantially in the manner ofthe one which I will proceed to describe in such terms that others skilled in the art may use my invention.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 represents .the shears in perspective, in which A is the lower blade ofthe shears to which is attached to the outer side thereof the comb d, (shown in detached top view, Fig. 2, and in vertical section cut parallel with the teeth, Fig. 3,)and Bis the supporting back and guide. (Shown detached, Fig. 4 ,and partial View of its attachment, Figs. 5.) The comb d is made of steel or other suitable metal or substance. The back of the comb increases in thickness as it approaches the teeth, as shown att', Fig. 3,so that whenit is attached to the blade it forms a slight angle with the plane made by the opening and shutting of the upper blade, sufficient to allow the upper blade to rise over the hair between the teeth of the comb. The teeth of the comb are made thicker than the back at the junction therewith, and form a shoulder, as seen at Fig. 3, which sets up against the inner edge of blade A, and rise nearly to the cutting-edge of 4blade A, thereby supporting and holding in place the hair nearly to the point where it is cut. The teeth are of sufficient length to bring the hair evenly before the blade A, (three-fourths to half an inch in length being sufficient.) The width of the teeth should be nogreater than necessary to give them sufficient strength. The opening between the teeth should not be less than the width of the teeth, and may be from that to twice the width. The comb is rmly attached to the outer side of blade A by screws or otherwise, so that it can be moved at pleasure, in order to sharpen the shears. As the closeness with which the hair is cut to the skin depends upon the combined thickness of the blade A and the comb-back, the thickness of the comb-baek can be made to correspond with the desired closeness of the clipping. The back and guide B may be made of steel or other metal or substance possessing sucient strength to support blade A and prevent it from springing apart from the other blade when in the act of cutting, and also to serve as a guide by which the shears are pressed forward and held in place when in the act of clipping. Back B is made open, as seen at m m, Figs. 1 and 4, with three points ot' attachment, as seen at n n n, Fig. 4. The openings in the back m m allow the hair, after it is cut, to drop through and keep the shears free. The back B is firmly attached to blade A, as seen at c c, Fig. 1, and at p, Fig. 5, by passing through blade A at c c and riveting and enteringa slot cut on the outer edge of the blade at p, and there secured by brazing or otherwise.

My shears are operated by pressing theA shears forward with one hand by means of the back and guide B, in a direction opposite to the laying of the hair, the teeth of the comb passing through the hairv touching the skin, and with the other hand clipping with the shears the hair as it is brought in contact with the edge of blade A.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The shears, in combination with back and guide B and comb d, which are made to operate substantially in the manner specified.

SAMUEL H. FOLSOM. Witnesses:

J AEEZ A. SAWYER, THoMAs DEAN. 

